1. Related Art
Co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent applications Ser. Nos. 07/199,030, filed May 26, 1988, now abandoned, and 07/271,884, filed Nov. 15, 1988, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,416 of Robin G. Foldesy and Robert G. Wheeler.
2. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to condoms, and more particularly to a device for packaging and donning condoms.
3. Description of the Related Art
The recent significant increase in the incidence and spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STD's) has resulted in increased use of condoms as a prophylactic measure to reduce the risk of infection and transmission of STD's.
Condoms generally comprise elongated thin, flexible, tubular sheaths made of a resilient, rubber-like material, such as rubber or various thermoplastic elastomers. Condoms and other devices, such as urine receptacles that fit over a penis are often difficult for the user to put on due to the small size of the device opening, and the resistance to stretching of the open end of the device, which typically comprises an annular ring designed for a tight fit.
During manufacture, condoms made of rubber or other quite stretchable materials are typically rolled which makes them easier to package, store and apply, than if they were packaged unrolled. Even when condoms are so packaged, donning rolled condoms is difficult because the user must pull the rubbery opening area apart and widen the opening with his fingers to don the condom. Further, many condoms are sold with a lubricant coating thereon, which often makes it difficult to grasp the condom prior to and during the donning of the condom.
The structures of the open end of condoms and similarly shaped surgical devices have been varied, for example, by widening the opening, to attempt to make it easier to don condoms, while still providing devices that do not inadvertently slip out of place.
The patent of Hessel (U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,621) is for a tubular condom comprising a flexible, thin-walled tube having at its open end a collar-shaped, outwardly extending portion with a ring-shaped means for radially stretching the collar, which is designed to provide protection against the spread of STD's.
The patent of Wayne (U.S. Pat. No. 2,448,938) describes a sanitary protective appliance which provides a protective cover or hood to cover or protect a body appendage. The appliance has a hood or body portion, with an adhesive layer on an inner face at one open end, and a hollow finger portion at the other end.
Co-pending, commonly-owned application (Ser. No. 07/271,884, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,416) for condom articles, discloses a condom and applicator assembly, comprising an applicator ring at the open end of a tubular condom made of a flexible, elastomeric material. In one embodiment of the co-pending application, the ring-shaped applicator has a series of circumferentially spaced apart, longitudinally extending prong elements thereon. The condom applicator assembly comprises the pronged ring having the open end of the condom stretched onto less than all of the prongs when not in use, and stretched over all of the prongs to facilitate penis insertion into the condom.
Packing procedures and devices have been used to maintain sterility and to assist in donning items such as surgical gloves. In the surgical glove package of Poncy et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,275,812), the cuff of each surgical glove is contained in a cylindrical ring, which holds the glove open to aid in donning the glove. The cylindrical ring also contains the mouth of a bag that encloses the outer surface of the glove to maintain sterility prior to use. The glove cuff is released from the ring, and the ring and bag removed after the surgeon has put on the gloves.
Because it is important for optimal use of many stretchable devices that must be donned, such as for many types of condom designs, that the open end of the condom not be deformed into a permanently stretched shape during storage, a means of packaging a condom, such as the present invention, that maintains the condom opening in a relaxed position before the package is opened, but provides a means of spreading the opening for donning the condom once the package is opened, simplifies the use of condoms.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a means and device for packaging condoms, wherein the packaging serves as a mechanical applicator device to simplify donning a condom.
It is another object of the invention to provide a means and device for packaging many different types and styles of condoms, including those that cannot be rolled up in the usual manner and those that have been lubricated.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will be more fully apparent from the following disclosure and appended claims.